More On Photographer J. W. Clark, Mendota, Illinois
Both my Flickr friend Danny Higgins and I, have quite a number of cabinet cards and CDV's by J. W. Clark, Mendota, Illinois. Clark is not listed as a photographer in any existing census, and has proven to be rather elusive, without some further research.
John W. Clark was born in Lewisburg, Union County, Pennsylvania, February 26, 1852. He was the son of George Washington Bennett Clark and Eliza J. Blee. The Clark family moved to Illinois in 1853, John W. Clark married Harriet (Hattie) Hough, April 11, 1876, in the Cottage Hill Church, Paw Paw, Lee County, Illinois. She was born in DeKalb County, Illinois, June 7, 1856, the daughter of Gilbert Lafayette Hough and Mahala Persis Fay.
John W. Clark was listed in the 1880 census in Mendota, LaSalle County, Illinois, but no occupation was listed. He had learned photography, and the following year (1881) bought out the gallery (studio) of J. L. Gurrad, an earlier Mendota photographer. Gurrad then moved to LaSalle, Illinois, where he operated a photo studio until his death. Clark continued in business in Mendota until his death (of pneumonia), December 28, 1891, at the age of 39.
His death notice indicates that his business would be continued by his widow, Harriett (Hattie) Clark. She apparently continued as a photographer in Mendota until her own death, February 27, 1898. Photographs taken by Hattie continued to use the "J. W. Clark" name. Many of the cabinet cards from the later 1890's were no doubt taken by Hattie Clark.
This is not my photo. It is a portrait of Photographer John W. Clark, which was origially shared on Ancestry.com by Hailynn1, Jan. 15, 2005.
There was a cabinet card and a CDV of James Butler Hickok, better known as "Wild Bill Hickok", with J. W. Clark backmarks, that were sold at an auction several years ago. The cabinet card sold for $26,640. The CDV brought $12,320. Hickok grew up in Troy Grove, Illinois, just south of Mendota, so the location is certainly right. These photos could not have been taken by J. W. Clark. Hickok was killed in 1876. Clark was not yet a photographer then. In fact, photos of Clark's own family in the mid-1870's, were taken by Blakeslee, an earler Mendota photographer. Since J. W. Clark bought out the business of J. L. Gurrad, in 1881, it seems likely that the glass plate negative of Hickok was taken by Gurrad, and was among those acquired by Clark when he purchased Gurrad's gallery.
More On Photographer J. W. Clark, Mendota, Illinois
Both my Flickr friend Danny Higgins and I, have quite a number of cabinet cards and CDV's by J. W. Clark, Mendota, Illinois. Clark is not listed as a photographer in any existing census, and has proven to be rather elusive, without some further research.
John W. Clark was born in Lewisburg, Union County, Pennsylvania, February 26, 1852. He was the son of George Washington Bennett Clark and Eliza J. Blee. The Clark family moved to Illinois in 1853, John W. Clark married Harriet (Hattie) Hough, April 11, 1876, in the Cottage Hill Church, Paw Paw, Lee County, Illinois. She was born in DeKalb County, Illinois, June 7, 1856, the daughter of Gilbert Lafayette Hough and Mahala Persis Fay.
John W. Clark was listed in the 1880 census in Mendota, LaSalle County, Illinois, but no occupation was listed. He had learned photography, and the following year (1881) bought out the gallery (studio) of J. L. Gurrad, an earlier Mendota photographer. Gurrad then moved to LaSalle, Illinois, where he operated a photo studio until his death. Clark continued in business in Mendota until his death (of pneumonia), December 28, 1891, at the age of 39.
His death notice indicates that his business would be continued by his widow, Harriett (Hattie) Clark. She apparently continued as a photographer in Mendota until her own death, February 27, 1898. Photographs taken by Hattie continued to use the "J. W. Clark" name. Many of the cabinet cards from the later 1890's were no doubt taken by Hattie Clark.
This is not my photo. It is a portrait of Photographer John W. Clark, which was origially shared on Ancestry.com by Hailynn1, Jan. 15, 2005.
There was a cabinet card and a CDV of James Butler Hickok, better known as "Wild Bill Hickok", with J. W. Clark backmarks, that were sold at an auction several years ago. The cabinet card sold for $26,640. The CDV brought $12,320. Hickok grew up in Troy Grove, Illinois, just south of Mendota, so the location is certainly right. These photos could not have been taken by J. W. Clark. Hickok was killed in 1876. Clark was not yet a photographer then. In fact, photos of Clark's own family in the mid-1870's, were taken by Blakeslee, an earler Mendota photographer. Since J. W. Clark bought out the business of J. L. Gurrad, in 1881, it seems likely that the glass plate negative of Hickok was taken by Gurrad, and was among those acquired by Clark when he purchased Gurrad's gallery.